Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Just a happy coincidence, Senator Mason. But of course they are entitled to raise concerns and they are entitled to hold out in relation to this. My concern is that the other states that have signed up on this will be missing out on a national scheme which I think is not only good for industry but, most importantly, gives security and some real reassurance to the hundreds of thousands of students who participate in vocational training colleges. It is very important that the consumers, the students, are protected, and this scheme will provide a great deal of protection.

I also note that, in terms of what I believe the minister and the government will be setting out, the key stakeholders, whether it is unions, industry, the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, the Minerals Council of Australia, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the Australian Council of Trade Unions or the Enterprise RTO Association, are reassured that there will be a process in August of this year that brings further amendments. I assume this, and I am sure the minister can confirm it. If that is the case, I think it is important not to hold up this piece of legislation.

This is not a criticism of the coalition, but I note their very considered Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee minority report which was released earlier this month. In that dissenting report, which set out the position of Victoria and Western Australia, coalition senators recommended that the bill not be passed in its current form. They also made a number of recommendations, for instance that the bill be amended to address the concerns identified by the committee and the Scrutiny of Bills Committee and if necessary be followed by a new referral of powers to a state. In particular in recommendation 6 coalition senators recommended that the bill be amended to ensure that the National VET Regulator’s powers are exercised appropriately and with due regard for personal rights and liberties and that the Fair Work Act be investigated as a possible model for exercise of entry, search and seizure powers. That was the recommendation. It sounds like a very considered recommendation. I am not sure whether I necessarily agree with it but I would like to hear the arguments for it. Obviously a lot of consideration was put into that recommendation.

As I understand it, the coalition has not moved any amendments. I do not know whether Senator Mason can confirm that. We are not in the committee stage, but my understanding is that there are not any amendments in relation to this.